Mr McCARTHY - 2015-02-26
This week, we have heard a series of allegations which go to the heart of your government’s chaos and dysfunction. A member of your own team described you as lacking honesty and integrity. The member for Araluen stated she had no faith in a government led by you. Your chaos and lack of leadership is having a disastrous effect on the business of government, the Northern Territory and our relations with Asia.
Last night, the member for Brennan hit it when he told this House:
Like the member for Brennan, Chief Minister, please tell us how proud you are of your completely dysfunctional government.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for his question. I am not sure if you could call it eleven-and-a-half years of stability under Labor from 2001-12, but I would not be proud to be part of that team. That team saw debt levels up to $5.5bn, deficits at $1.1bn and the highest crime rate the Territory has ever seen. There was poor performance in the state of the economy, and a deficit in home construction, land release and unit construction. Housing affordability was going through the roof and there were the highest fuel prices the Territory has seen under your leadership. There is nothing to be proud of from that eleven-and-a-half years. Over the last two weeks we have gone through a long list of our achievements since winning government on 25 August 2012.
I am happy to go uphill and down dale with those achievements, as is everybody on this side of the Chamber. We have driven down your debt, crime, and alcohol consumption, and have the best performing economy in the nation with the lowest unemployment rate, apart from Canberra.
We can talk about the successes and the $135m from the recent budget into land release, including $50m for commercial and $85m for residential. We can talk about the 6500 lots we are releasing across the Territory’s landscape in urban, regional and remote areas, including communities like Kalkarindji. We can keep talking about that all day. I am proud of the last two-and-a-half years, but I would be ashamed after eleven-and-a-half years of the collective leadership in the Labor Party. While some were ministers, the others were hacks in Labor ministers’ offices. You hold a collective responsibility for the state of affairs on 25 August 2012.
Last night, the member for Brennan hit it when he told this House:
- … we are the most effective dysfunctional government the Territory has ever seen.
Like the member for Brennan, Chief Minister, please tell us how proud you are of your completely dysfunctional government.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for his question. I am not sure if you could call it eleven-and-a-half years of stability under Labor from 2001-12, but I would not be proud to be part of that team. That team saw debt levels up to $5.5bn, deficits at $1.1bn and the highest crime rate the Territory has ever seen. There was poor performance in the state of the economy, and a deficit in home construction, land release and unit construction. Housing affordability was going through the roof and there were the highest fuel prices the Territory has seen under your leadership. There is nothing to be proud of from that eleven-and-a-half years. Over the last two weeks we have gone through a long list of our achievements since winning government on 25 August 2012.
I am happy to go uphill and down dale with those achievements, as is everybody on this side of the Chamber. We have driven down your debt, crime, and alcohol consumption, and have the best performing economy in the nation with the lowest unemployment rate, apart from Canberra.
We can talk about the successes and the $135m from the recent budget into land release, including $50m for commercial and $85m for residential. We can talk about the 6500 lots we are releasing across the Territory’s landscape in urban, regional and remote areas, including communities like Kalkarindji. We can keep talking about that all day. I am proud of the last two-and-a-half years, but I would be ashamed after eleven-and-a-half years of the collective leadership in the Labor Party. While some were ministers, the others were hacks in Labor ministers’ offices. You hold a collective responsibility for the state of affairs on 25 August 2012.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016